Such a manufacturing device and a manufacturing process are known from DE 10 2007 038 240 A1. Solar cells are placed on a casting table with suction openings and fixed with vacuum. Suction openings are formed on the casting table in the area below the solar cells placed on the casting table in order to fix the solar cells on the casting table by means of vacuum. The casting table is subsequently moved under a casting device at a portal, and a flowable bonding material in the form of a polyolefin plastisol is applied from said casting device to the solar cells. The array of solar cells is thus coated with an outer layer. This is carried out by means of so-called curtain coating or doctoring, so that the array of solar cells is coated over a broad area while passing through under the casting device. In the next step, a robot feeds a glass plate. The glass plate is placed and rolled on the previously prepared coating covering the solar cells by means of height-adjustable suction holders in an arc-shaped and bubble-free manner. By laying down the glass plate gradually and in an arc-shaped manner, bubble formation between the polyolefin plastisol layer and the glass plate is prevented from occurring. The three-layer module element thus formed is transported further with a conveyor to a heating device and a turning device, and a cover layer in the form of a second glass plate is subsequently applied along with an adhesive with a glass plate doubling device, and the finished module is fixed in a heating means and the adhesive is cured.
EP 1 0302 988 A2 likewise teaches a manufacturing device and a manufacturing process for manufacturing a multilayer solar module with embedded solar cells with the use of an arching means for a plate-like, transparent layer. The arching device is part of a roller laminator in this case.
US 2003/0005954 A1 pertains to the formation of arched multilayer solar modules, where a glass plate is arched as well. This is carried out by heating a flat glass plate over a swage, after which the glass plate is deformed into the swage under its own weight and assumes the arch of the swage. The arch is maintained and not abolished again.